And all he felt was his wife’s hand in his…
And happy.
* * * * *
Mike
September, Seven Years Later
“Um…baby, I think we have a problem.”
Mike looked from shuffling through the mail on the kitchen counter to his wife.
He knew that look on her face.
“Please, Angel, do not tell me my daughter is pregnant again.”
In the six years since they’d been married, Reesee had published eight books.
She and her husband, Fin, had also given Mike three grandkids.
His daughter was happy as a clam on her farm with her husband and her brood.
Mike could coast through the goodness of life because Dusty gave that to him. His grandkids gave that to him.
But with his daughters, he was not happy.
This was because Mike had another girl, Mandy, who was much younger than her big sister.
This meant this kind of torture—his baby girls making babies—would be drawn out, prolonged.
Never ending.
Christ.
Dusty grinned, moving toward him.
“No, gorgeous.” She stopped close to him. “Rees isn’t pregnant. Though I’d never describe an impending grandchild as being a problem. This is problem. Or at least it might be in the beginning.”
“What?” he asked.
“Just going to say, I’ve made the call and preliminarily tamed the wild beast,” she declared.
This wasn’t an answer. Though it did make him mentally brace harder.
“What?” he repeated.
She reached a hand toward the counter, nabbed her tablet, looked down at it, sliding her finger on the screen, and finally her eyes came up to his.
“Brace,” she whispered.
“Fuck,” he muttered.
She turned the tablet his way.
His eyes dropped to it.
On it was an online entertainment news site.
And the headline was, “Jonas Haines of Broken Bird Marries Model Adriana Rivera in Vegas.”
“What the fuck?” Mike murmured, pulling the tablet out of his wife’s hand and reading it.
Jonas Haines, known as “No,” lead singer, lead guitarist, and founder of the chart-topping rock band Broken Bird, yesterday reportedly married his on-again, off-again girlfriend, bathing suit model Adriana Rivera, in Las Vegas.
Haines, 31, and Rivera, 20, have dominated the gossip columns for the last two years with their stormy relationship. This includes Haines’s brief incarceration for charges of assault and battery when he located a crazed fan of Rivera’s who was stalking his lady love. Charges were later dropped through a plea bargain arrangement for Alfie Birk, who pled guilty to criminal harassment and menacing and received a reduced sentence.
It’s reported that Haines’s best man was a woman. Stella Gunn of the Blue Moon Gypsies, the established rock star who gave Haines and Broken Bird their break, asking Broken Bird to open for the Gypsies before they’d even signed a record deal, stood with the rocker.
In turn, standing up for Rivera was a man. Kai Mason, Gunn’s husband and the head of an elite security agency in Los Angeles, the agency used by Broken Bird as well as Rivera personally, stood with the model.
Neither Haines’s nor Rivera’s spokespersons are confirming the nuptials except for Broken Bird’s team stating that at this time, Haines and Rivera’s relationship is “definitely on.” It’s been alleged that confirmation is being delayed in order for the bride and groom to inform their families that the wedding took place.
It’s unknown where the newlyweds are at this time; however, social media sites have lit up with witnesses at Las Vegas and Los Angeles airports stating they’ve seen the couple and also reporting they’ve boarded a Fiji Airlines flight bound for those islands for what could be nothing other than their honeymoon.
Finished, Mike looked at his wife.
“Hunter is not happy,” Dusty noted, something Mike did not need her to note.
Hunter was Dusty’s best friend’s husband.
He was also Adriana’s father.
And last, Hunter had not been a big fan of this situation for more years than No and Addie had been together. In fact, it had been since the first time he saw his daughter, at thirteen, gazing with love-struck eyes at No, who was with his band playing at his sister’s wedding.
“But I talked him down,” Dusty finished.
“Have you heard from No?” Mike asked.
She shook her head. “I called. Reesee called. Even Fin called. He’s not answering.” Her mouth quirked. “Probably because he’s a day ahead of us on Fiji.” She paused, then added, “And he’s busy.”
“This isn’t funny,” Mike informed her.
He watched his wife’s lips continue to quirk.
“Angel,” he warned.
Her lips stopped quirking. “Addie’s been in love with No since she was thirteen.”
Mike had nothing to say to that because it was true.
“And No’s been in love with her since the second they bumped into each other again two years ago,” she continued.
“She’s not even old enough to drink,” Mike stated.
“She’s old enough to fall in love,” Dusty returned.
“She’s old enough to think she’s in love.”
“Baby,” she whispered, moving closer. “You were here at Christmas with those two. I get you’re worried. But there’s no way you could watch them and not see they’re completely, desperately, crazy in love.”
Fuck, he couldn’t say anything to that either.
Because it was true.
Mike wrapped an arm around his wife and he pulled out his phone.
He held her as he slid his thumb over the screen.
He put it to his ear.
Jonas answered on the third ring.
“Dad.”
“Got some news for me, No?”
Apparently, he didn’t because there was silence.
“Jonas,” Mike prompted.
“It’s her, Dad. She’s young, but I don’t give a fuck. It’s her. It just is.”
“Yeah, neither of you hid that from your family last time we saw you and you haven’t been hiding it from the population at large, the crazy shit you’ve both been playing out publicly.”
“You know Addie. She’s about drama.”
His son sounded like he liked that.
Then again, he married it, so he did.
“That isn’t the issue,” Mike said. “The issue is, I read about it on a goddamned tablet.”
“It was a spur-of-the-moment thing,” Jonas muttered.
“I figured that part out,” Mike told him.
“We’re gonna have another ceremony when we get back,” No assured him. “One we’ll have with our families.”
“I can do without going to another wedding, No. What I’m not a big fan of is reading something like this rather than hearing it direct from my son. You’re famous. I hear a lot about you that’s truth and a lot that’s lies. But when it’s important, when it means you’re happy, I wanna hear it from you.”
“I’m happy, Dad,” No said quietly.
Mike drew in breath.
“I’m glad, son,” Mike replied quietly.
Dusty pushed closer.
“She’s happy too,” Jonas told him.
“I’m glad about that too,” Mike replied.
“We’ve been dodging calls because we’ve been busy and because I wanted you to know first. You know now, so I gotta call Rees.”
“Yeah, your sister can bust your ass for depriving her of a celebrity wedding.”
“Last five books on the New York Times list. I’m not the only celebrity in the family.”
“Lucky for me, she’s got someone in her life who keeps her grounded, not someone who busts up hotel rooms.”
“Addie broke a vase. It was blown out of proportion by the media.”
“She broke it th
rowing it at you.”
“She’s excitable.”
Mike did not want to go there.
“Call your sister,” he ordered.
“I will,” No said, a smile in his voice. “And Dad?”
“Yeah, Jonas?”
“Love you.”
Mike sighed.
Then he said, “Same. Give our love to Addie. And hope to see you both soon.”
“Love back to Dusty, Mandy, and Austin.”
“Right. Later, son.”
“Later, Dad.”
They disconnected.
Mike threw his phone on the counter.
Dusty snuggled closer.
“All good?” she asked.
“He sounds happy.”
His woman smiled.
“Really happy,” he whispered.
“Then it’s all good,” she whispered back.
He looked into her eyes.
She was happy too. Happy because she was happy, and happy because his son was.
“Love you, Angel,” he murmured.
“Yeah, gorgeous, it’s all good,” she replied and rolled up to her toes.
Mike took her mouth.
Their daughter Amanda at a friend’s house, their son Austin at basketball practice, the house was empty.
So after Mike took his wife’s mouth, he took her hand and led her to the bedroom.
Then he took something else.
* * * * *
Benny
December, Two Years Later
Benny turned to his wife, who was sitting on the edge of the hotel bed, strapping on a high-heeled sandal.
“Come again?” he asked.
She tipped her head, her thick, dark hair sliding down her back, and gave him her eyes.
“That’s what Vi told me over coffee this morning.”
“Angie is dating Jack Colton,” Benny stated.
Frankie bent down to finish with her shoe, confirming, “Yeah. They live across the street from each other. They grew up together. They wrestled in the grass at barbeques when they were kids and they’ve been dancing around each other at parties with the grown-ups now for years. Vi didn’t miss it. I didn’t. No one did but Colt and Cal. It’s like Colt and Feb, part two. Except hopefully without the heartbreak.”
“She’s not old enough to date,” he told his wife’s bent head.
When she straightened and looked at him, she was grinning.
“She’s seventeen,” she reminded him.
“That’s not old enough,” Ben declared.
Francesca burst out laughing.
Then she pushed up from the bed and walked on her high-heeled shoes, in her skintight dress, his way.
Ben watched. Fuck, they’d been together seventeen years, she’d given him three kids, and still, watching his wife strut his way, he wanted to bag this wedding, put the do not disturb sign on the door, and spend the afternoon fucking his wife.
She fitted herself to his front.
And he wanted that even more.
He wrapped his arms around her and stopped thinking about his cousin’s daughter.
“How bad you wanna go to this wedding?” he asked.
Her eyes got hot, her face got soft, but her mouth said, “You miss your nephew’s wedding, Carm is gonna lose her mind.”
She would.
His sister would do that.
And they’d flown all the way to California to do this, so they should probably do it.
Frankie fiddled with his collar. “And you know, just on the heels of Violet’s news about Angie, you should prepare. Because Ales told me she has it on good authority from two sources that that Rio boy, who plays wide receiver on the football team, is gonna ask her out.”
Ales was his daughter.
Which meant he had a say.
So he said it.
“Ales definitely isn’t dating,” Ben declared.
“Baby, she’s fifteen.”
“Exactly. Way too young.”
Frankie smiled at him.
“And she’s absolutely not dating a kid named Rio. What the fuck kind of name is that?” he asked.
“I think it’s cool,” Frankie remarked.
“You’re wrong,” Benny returned.
She slid her hand to his neck, her lips tipped up. “You’re hot when you get all irrational-dad.”
“And you’re hot all the time. If you don’t stop touchin’ me, lookin’ like you do in that dress, with your tits pressed to me, we’re gonna be late to my nephew’s wedding.”
Her eyes dropped to his mouth.
“Can’t have that,” she murmured.
His hands dropped to her ass.
“Babe,” he warned on a squeeze.
She lifted her gaze.
“Let’s get the kids, make sure they haven’t torn apart their room, and go do this,” he said. “Ma and Pop’ll be cool with bringin’ the kids back. We’ll come back early and we’ll have our own celebration.”
“Works for me,” Frankie agreed.
Good.
They had a plan.
He bent in and touched his mouth to hers.
She lifted up on her toes and made the light kiss hard.
When she rolled back, she again caught his eyes. “Love you, Benny Bianchi.”
He gave her ass another squeeze, this one reflexive.
“Love you too, Frankie Bianchi.”
She smiled at him and moved out of his arms.
“Gotta grab my tie,” he told her, wanting to let go of his wife in order to grab a tie like he wanted water torture.
“I’ll start rounding up the kids.”
He watched her ass as she moved to the door.
Then he called, “Babe?”
She turned back to him.
“Not jokin’ about that Rio kid thing. Ales doesn’t date until the time is right,” he declared.
She gave him a look he felt in his dick.
“So hot when you’re all irrational-dad,” she whispered, then strutted to the door.
Fuck, Frankie would rally Ales, and with both his girls using their different ways, he was gonna cave.
Shit.
He got his tie.
He bunched it up and shoved it in his pocket, not about to put it on until he absolutely had to.
He then saw his wife’s purse on the bed.
He grabbed it and their key card.
After that, he walked out of their hotel room to help his wife round up their kids so they could meet up with Cal, Vi, and their brood and they all could go watch his nephew get married.
When they got that done, he could come back.
And celebrate with his wife.
* * * * *
Garrett
May, Four Years Later
“Serious as hell, brown eyes, someone should outlaw this shit.”
Cher turned to him and he lifted up, taking his mouth from her ear to catch her eyes.
Those brown eyes he loved were bright with unshed tears and she was also moving like she was about to throw up.
He knew she wasn’t going to vomit.
And she also wasn’t going to cry.
She might shed a tear but only if she didn’t manage to swallow back the laughter she was fighting.
Their chairs pulled close so he could throw his arm easily around the back of hers, he curled her to his side.
She made a choking noise.
He dipped his mouth again to her ear.
“Hold it in,” he muttered.
“You’re not helping, Merry,” she wheezed.
“You can’t bust a gut laughin’ during the best man’s speech. Especially at this wedding.”
“Just let me deep breathe,” she forced out.
“You’re not breathing at all.”
She turned and whacked him one on his arm.
He smiled down at her.
She glared at him.
That was one way to get her not to laugh.
He knew a better way, and to keep he
r from laughing, he employed it, leaning in and taking her mouth in a hard, sweet kiss.
When he was done, she lifted her hand and rested it on his neck, her thumb stroking his throat.
He kissed her nose.
She melted into him and turned in his arm, giving her attention back to the best man.
Garrett didn’t give his attention to the drunken best man, who was totally fucking up his speech.
He looked at the groom.
When he did, he saw Ethan looking at him.
Garrett held his boy’s eyes, grabbed his glass, and lifted it his way.
Ethan dipped his chin.
His drunk friend quit jabbering and managed to slur out his request for everyone to toast the happy couple.
They did.
This meant, thankfully, the fool was done and conversation began to resume. Ethan stood and took the microphone from his bud.
Conversation stopped when he spoke into it.
“I have a few things to say.”
Cher’s attention perked up.
So did Garrett’s.
Ethan looked to his bride.
“I’m a lucky man today,” he said softly into the microphone.
Cher pressed closer.
Ethan’s woman’s face flushed with happiness.
“Thank you, baby, for saying yes,” Ethan went on.
His new wife put her hand to her mouth, and even though her new husband stood at her side, she blew him a kiss.
“So sweet,” Eve whispered.
Garrett looked to his right, seeing his daughter leaned into her elbows on the table, watching her brother.
He looked beyond her and saw his eldest girl, Shelby, doing the same except not with her elbows on the table.
He and Cher got two and two.
Shelby had her mother’s eyes.
Eve had her father’s.
Garrett looked to the wedding party and saw Matt up there with his brother.
And Mathias’s eyes were blue.
Garrett looked to Ethan when he again spoke.
“I need to say what I gotta say, and I need to say it now with everyone in this room who means something to me, to my wife.” He looked down at her again then back at the room. “And I need to say it so you all know. Because you all should know, today of all days. You should know I made some vows in a church. And they mean something to me. I signed a legal paper. And that means something to me too. But I’m gonna make some vows right now that mean everything.”
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